Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday mourned the death of Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa and described her as a “people’s leader” whose untimely death was bound to create a void in Indian politics. “A very popular and dynamic leader, J Jayalalithaa was a long-serving chief minister who served the people very passionately. The country lost a leader of immense potential. Her death is premature and untimely and is bound to create a void which will be very hard to fill. I pray to God for her soul to rest in peace,” Sonowal, in a statement said.

Sonowal also dispatched industry and commerce minister Chandra Mohan Patowari to Chennai, where the latter paid homage to the mortal remains of J Jayalalithaa on behalf of the Assam government. “With the sad demise of a dynamic and populist leader, Tamil Nadu and the nation have lost a compassionate and adorable soul who always worked for the betterment of the poor and the downtrodden,” Patowari in a message said.

In Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, while condoling the death of J Jayalalithaa, said she had played a key role in the economic development of Tamil Nadu. “Jayalalithaa championed the cause of the rural and urban poor by introducing subsidised food canteens, providing free laptops to thousands of school pupils and students and launching other populist schemes like giving away food mixers and grinders to families. She played a key role in the economic development of Tamil Nadu and politically set a benchmark unrivalled and unparalleled,” said Khandu in a statement.